


A Familiar Face

by PKLucky



Series: Mark's Askr Misadventures [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken | Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword
Genre: Angst, Angst and Humor, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Dry Humping, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, M/M, Pre-Slash, Romantic Comedy, Sharing a Bed, Temporarily Unrequited Love, at least on mark's end it is???, i mean he was a kid when he met matthew so i guess it counts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-06 07:25:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13406322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PKLucky/pseuds/PKLucky
Summary: Mark thought he would never experience anything like his adventures in Elibe ever again. When he was summoned to the world of Zenith over a decade later, he was soon proven wrong. (Rated T for steaminess and Mark's sailor mouth.)





	1. Welcome to Askr!

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Thief of My Heart](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12869121) by [PKLucky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PKLucky/pseuds/PKLucky). 



> I want to preface this by saying this fic is kind of what I wanted Thief of My Heart to originally be: a fic where the tactician from Blazing Sword is the same person as the summoner in Heroes. Thief of My Heart was a way for me to test the waters and see if there was a demand for Matthew x Summoner content. The fic's been getting some positive feedback, so here's more Matthew/Summoner for all of you!

“Ughhhhhh…” A small alarm clock beeped incessantly as Mark struggled to get an arm out from under the covers. He limply reached out his hand and smacked down in the alarm clock’s general area. “Oh, shut the hell up already…!” After a few missed smacks, Mark finally hit the off button. He rolled out of bed and trudged to the bathroom.

He began brushing his teeth and went over today’s plan in his head. _Alright, physics test at 2, gonna meet up with Jordan and Mike for that circuit analysis lab at 4, got that report due next week, midterm coming up the week after…_ Mark grunted in frustration and spit out the frothy toothpaste, “God, I don’t want to deal with this shit anymore! If I could just have a small break from school, that would be amazing.”

As if on cue, a white light enveloped his body. Mark lifted his hand and stared at it wide-eyed, “Oh, fuck no.” Flashbacks to his childhood came flooding back to him. Flashbacks to a time when something similar happened. Flashbacks to when he lead an army in the land of Elibe. “No, no, no, no. This wasn’t what I meant when I said I wanted a break!” Mark frantically looked around the bathroom, hoping to find any means of escaping from this teleportation magic, “Come on! I don’t want to do this again! I’m not fit for this! I--” The light fully enveloped him, and Mark was no longer was in his college dorm’s bathroom.

Mark scanned the area, trying to figure out where he ended up. Before he could take in his surroundings, he heard a woman speak.

“Oh, you’re here? Then the ritual actually worked? Ahem…”

Mark turned around and saw an armor-clad woman with red hair tied in a ponytail and a large axe in her hand. He raised a hand, “Look, before you continue, ma’am--”

“That’s ‘Commander Anna’ to you, Summoner,” The woman smiled and winked.

“Okay, fine,” Mark waved his hand dismissively, “Anna, or whatever, Look. I have some idea of what’s going on here, and all I ask is that you return me to my world right now.”

“What are you--” Before Anna could finish her question, a dark-clad soldier charged at the pair with a lance in hand. “Drat! How did one of those Emblians get here?” Anna readied her weapon and stepped in front of Mark, “Stand back! I’ll take care of him somehow!”

Mark looked on as Anna charged straight toward the soldier. The soldier recoiled his lance and readied his attack. Without thinking, Mark called out, “He’s attacking! Strafe left and strike!”

Anna did as Mark said took the soldier down. She stared at the corpse, then back at Mark. Her eyes were as bright as a child’s on Christmas day.

Mark clamped a hand over his mouth. _Oh, no._

Anna ran up to Mark and beamed, “Summoner, you--That was--”

“That was a _mistake_ ,” Mark put his hands up defensively. “Also, why do you keep calling me ‘Summoner’?”

“I guess you’re right,” Anna produced a… gun? from her pocket and quickly put it in Mark’s hand. “Let’s see if this reacts to you first.”

“Wait, what?” Mark examined the weapon in his hand. The golden patterns on the gun began to glow strongly.

“Breidablik is glowing!” Anna cheered. “You _are_ the Summoner!”

“OH COME ON.”

Anna and Mark battled Emblian after Emblian and met up with Alfonse and Sharena, prince and princess of the Askran kingdom, along the way. Mark also begrudgingly learned about summoning Heroes with Breidablik and brought Virion from the World of Awakening to fight at their side. With the fighting over for the day, the five of them traveled back to Castle Askr.

“You two are going to love the castle!” Sharena grinned at Virion and Mark. “Our kitchens are fully stocked with the freshest food stuffs, the royal baths have the cleanest water from across the land, and the courtyard is absolutely stunning. You’re going to live like kings!”

Anna smiled smugly at Mark, “Gotta look the part before you can play the part, though.”

Mark looked down at his ramen-broth-stained shirt and boxers, “Aw, shut up.”

* * *

 Mark stepped out of the royal tailor’s workshop and presented himself to the Askran trio.

Sharena gazed at Mark with stars in her eyes, “You look amazing, Summoner!”

Alfonse nodded, “Yes, that cloak suits you.”

Mark looked at his new outfit. _Reminds me of the cloak I wore back in Elibe._

Anna approached Mark, “Now that you have some appropriate attire, let’s introduce you to the rest of the Order.”

The four of them made their way to the main hall where Virion was already acquainting himself with two Heroes, a green-haired boy and a brown-haired young man. Mark squinted his eyes at the young man. _Have I seen him before?_ wondered Mark.

“Matthew! Raigh!” Sharena called out to the two Heroes, “You have to meet the Summoner!”

_No way._

As the two Heroes approached, Mark eyes widened in realization. _It_ is _him…!_ Mark quickly pulled up his hood, hoping that Matthew didn’t get a chance to get a close look at his face.

“Matthew, Raigh,” Sharena gestured to Mark, “This is our summoner… Ah.” Sharena smiled sheepishly, “I do apologize, Summoner, but I don’t think you gave us your name yet. How rude of us!”

“Uh,” Mark glanced back and forth between Sharena and Matthew. _Come on Mark, gotta come up with a fake name. You can’t let Matthew know who you really are! Think, think! Wait, I never told him my last name. Mark, you’re a genius!_ “M-My name is Kiran.” He held out a hand. “Nice to meet you both.”

Raigh silently shook Mark’s hand and nodded. Matthew shook Mark’s hand and smirked, “Can’t wait to work with you, Kiran.”

Mark looked into Matthew’s eyes. _Wow, he’s a lot more handsome than I remember._ Mark blinked. _Hold up. WHAT._

“Now that introductions are done,” Alfonse said, “let’s give Kiran and Virion a tour of the castle.”

* * *

 The next morning, Mark forced his tired eyes open and stared at the wall in front of him: a wall made of huge stone bricks with his cloak he received yesterday hanging from a hook. Mark mumbled to himself, “I guess it wasn’t a dream.”

“No, it was not,” Matthew declared.

“MOTHERFUCKER,” Mark rolled out of bed in shock and fell to the floor. He picked himself up and pointed at Matthew who was nonchalantly laying in his bed, “How the fuck did you--” He pinched the bridge of his nose, “You know what? Never mind. I have a pretty good idea how you got in.” Mark sighed and glared, “‘Why?’ is the question I _should_ be asking.”

“Well,” Matthew got out of Mark’s bed and leaned against the nightstand, “to quote Sharena last night after you went to bed: ‘Kiran seems so much more at ease when he’s looking at you, Matthew. You should try making him more comfortable here.’”

“Oh yeah,” Mark said sarcastically, “because crawling into bed with me after I’ve been transported to a mysterious magical world I don’t even want to be in is _totally_ gonna make me feel comfortable.”

Matthew laughed, “We’re gonna get along fine, Kiran. I can tell.”

Mark rolled his eyes.

“Say,” Matthew sauntered close to Mark. “May I get a better look at you?”

“Wha--” Matthew lifted Mark’s chin and examined his face. Matthew and Mark locked eyes. _I never noticed how brown his eyes were._ Mark thought; a light blush rose to Mark’s cheeks. He swore at himself, _Mark, don’t you fucking dare get attached to this guy again! We are_ not _planning on staying here._ Mark’s eyes darted around the room, unsure of whether or not to keep looking into Matthew’s eyes. He could feel his heart pound faster and his muscles tense; he gulped.

After a few moments, Matthew let Mark go and turned around, “Guess I was mistaken.”

Mark stepped back, “Wh-What was that just now?”

Matthew turned back around to face Mark, “It’s just that you reminded me of a tactician I worked with long ago. I swear you look just like him.” Matthew smirked, “Except much older. He was just a child, but he was a natural strategist.”

“O-Oh,” Mark scratched his chin. “What’s this kid’s name? I might know him.”

Matthew shook his head, “I doubt you would, but his name was Mark.” He looked out the window and continued, “That kid had a good head on his shoulders. Always looking out for the army, making sure we had a smile on our faces, even through the toughest times.” Matthew sighed, “If only he didn’t disappear after the war. There was so much I wanted to say to him. Sometimes I wonder what he’s up to now.”

 _Did he look at me just now?_ Mark shook his head. _Nah, he’s convinced I’m just “Kiran”. That’s all I’ll ever be to everyone here. But still…_ “I’m sure Mark’s doing just fine,” Mark smiled at Matthew. “Like you said, he’s got a good head on his shoulders.”

Matthew nodded and walked to the door, “Let’s go, Kiran. We’ve got work to do.”

Mark groaned, “Yeah, yeah. Right behind you.”

 


	2. First Meeting

A cool breeze and a songbird’s call flowed into Mark’s bedroom window as another morning in Askr came.

“Are you sure you don’t need me to escort you anymore?” Matthew asked Mark as he laid in Mark’s bed.

“I’ll be fine, alright?” Mark grabbed his cloak off the hook and put his arms through the sleeves. “I’ve been here a few days already. I practically know the place like the back of my hand now. Also,” Mark furrowed his brow at Matthew and jerked his thumb backward, “get the fuck out of my bed!” Matthew sat up and rose from the bed while Mark gathered his belongings from the desk.

Matthew shrugged, “I’m just following orders directly issued by Askran royalty.” He winked and flashed a cocky grin, “You can’t expect a loyal spy like me to go against orders like that.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Mark grumbled as he walked to the mirror by the door and fixed his hair. “But that doesn't mean you gotta sleep in my bed every night.”

Matthew approached Mark from behind, “Do you not enjoy it?”

Mark’s eyebrows raised as his cheeks flushed, “I-I mean, I’m not against it. I just--”

“Then, I’ll keep doing it!” Matthew ruffled Mark's hair.

“Hey!”

“I’ll be going, then,” Matthew opened the door. “Let me or anyone else in the Order know if you need anything.”

Mark nodded. Matthew stepped out and shut the door behind him. Mark stared at his reflection in the mirror and pouted. _What did I ever see in that guy?_

* * *

“I think I saw someone go into that house there, Lyn,” Mark pointed to one of the houses on the path beside them. “Should we check it out?”

Lyn looked in the direction Mark was pointing, “If you think it will help us get into the secret passage, then let’s investigate.”

Mark nodded, “Okay. Kent, Wil, Erk, and Serra, go that way and fight the swordsmen up ahead! Dorcas, Sain, Rath, and Florina, stay here just in case!”

Everyone did as they were told, and Mark and Lyn headed north to investigate the house.

Lyn cautiously approached the door with a hand on the hilt of her blade and Mark staying close behind her. When they opened the door, they saw a young brown-haired man wearing a red cape sitting by one of the windows.

The man noticed the door open and addressed Lyn and Mark, “Hey, you! Can I talk to you?”

Lyn kept a steady hand on her sword’s hilt and asked, “Who are you?”

“I’m Matthew,” the man introduced himself, “a specialist in acquisitions of all kinds. Would you like to buy my services?”

“What does he mean by that?” Mark whispered to Lyn.

Lyn smiled at Mark, then stared sternly at Matthew, “We’ve no need for a thief.”

“Ohhh,” Mark nodded his head repeatedly, understanding the situation. He stopped, suddenly having a realization, “Stealing is bad, Mr. Matthew!”

Matthew crouched down in front of Mark and ruffled his hair, “Stealing isn’t bad if it’s my job, is it, kiddo?”

Mark crossed his arms and furrowed his brow deep in thought, “Hmmmmm…”

Lyn put her hands on her hips and glared at Matthew, “Don’t confuse him.”

“Heh! Anyway,” Matthew stood back up, “How do you two plan on opening the barrack doors?”

Mark and Lyn looked at each other, then at Matthew in shock. Lyn spoke up, “How did you know about--”

Matthew flashed a cocky grin, “Bullseye!”

Lyn pursed her lips. Mark tugged Lyn’s clothes. She leaned down and Mark whispered into her ear, “I think he should join us.”

Lyn frowned, “Mark, he’s nothing but a common thief. We can’t have someone like him with us.”

“But he looks pretty smart!” reasoned Mark. “And I think he has a plan to get the door unlocked anyway.”

Matthew leaned down over to Lyn and whispered, “The kid has a good point.”

“Oh, be quiet!” Lyn pushed Matthew away. Mark snickered at the sight.

Matthew smiled at Mark and stood back up. He turned to Lyn, “Don’t be mad. Hire me.” He smirked, “For you, I’ll even lower my normal rate.”

Lyn gave Matthew a skeptical look, then looked to Mark who was giving her puppy-dog eyes. Mark mouthed the word “Please?”

Lyn groaned, “We do need those doors opened…” Mark and Matthew stared at her expectantly. She gave the pair one last look and sighed, “Okay. You’re hired.”

Mark jumped for joy, “Yes!”

Matthew chuckled and crouched down to Mark, “So, kiddo, you’re obviously the brains of this operation. What’s your name?”

“My name’s Mark!” Mark declared proudly.

“Well, Mark,” Matthew held out a hand, “I can’t wait to work with you.”

Mark with a wide grin on his face took Matthew’s hand and gave it a firm shake.

* * *

_Matthew’s still the same fuckin’ asshole I knew back then. That same asshole that my eight-year-old self thought was so fucking cool._ Mark sighed and smiled slightly to himself. _I guess some things never change._ Mark caught himself and shook his head. _Come on, Mark. Focus! You’ve got more important business to attend to._ He finished redoing his hair and walked out the door. _Time to hit the library. I need to find a way out of here!_


	3. Knowing Too Much

Mark meandered through the castle halls, searching high and low for a path to the library. He stopped at one intersection and examined the paths before him, “Okay, I just gotta turn left. Or was it right? Wait, is it even on this floor…?” Mark stood in the middle of the intersection and bowed his head in deep thought, trying to remember which way Matthew lead him last time. After what seemed like hours passed, Mark threw his head back and screamed to the ceiling, “Why the fuck is this castle so complicated?!”

“Sounds like someone needs help,” a voice spoke up from behind Mark.

“Holy shit!” Mark whipped around and saw the source of the voice was none other than Matthew. “God damn it, Matthew! Don’t do that!”

Matthew chuckled, “Sorry about that, Kiran.” He approached Mark, “Anyway, like I said: sounds like you need help.”

“I-I’m good,” Mark crossed his arms. “I just… wanna find an alternate way to the library. That’s all.”

Matthew pointed behind himself with his thumb, “Even though the library is on the other side of the castle?”

Mark narrowed his eyes, “... _Yes._ ”

Matthew smirked as he offered a hand to Mark, “Come on.”

Mark looked at the hand, then scowled at Matthew, “Just lead the way. I’m not holding your hand like I’m a damn kid.”

“Ah,” Matthew’s face twisted for a split second, then returned to his signature sly smile. “Right.” He retracted his hand, turned around, and started walking with Mark following a few paces behind him.

“So, what business do you have at the library?” asked Matthew.

“Definitely none of _your_ damn business,” Mark replied.

Matthew snickered at Mark’s play on words, “Are you always this cold to your friends, Kiran?”

“I…” Mark hesitated. “We aren’t friends.”

“We do sleep in the same bed every night,” Matthew looked back and winked. “That has to count for something.”

“Only because you invite yourself in,” grumbled Mark.

“You did say earlier that you liked it,” retorted Matthew.

“Hey, don’t twist my words like that!” Mark briefly picked up his pace so that he was walking alongside Matthew. He pointed at him, “I only said I didn’t mind. Not that I actually enjoyed sleeping with you.”

Matthew raised his head and smirked, “You’d better watch your phrasing, Kiran.” He reached around and placed a hand on Mark’s shoulder, “You might give me ideas.”

Mark thought back to what he said, and caught his accidental innuendo, “Ghk!” Mark shrugged Matthew’s hand off his shoulder, “That’s…! I didn’t--You know that’s not what I meant!”

Matthew laughed, “I didn’t think you were the type to get easily flustered by that sort of thing, Kiran. I’ll have to keep that in mind.”

Mark pulled up his hood in a huff and averted his gaze. _Fucking asshole._

The duo walked the rest of the way in silence until they reached the library. “I’d better stay with you,” said Matthew. “You wouldn’t want to get lost again, right?”

Mark pouted, “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t get in my way.”

Mark perused the bookshelves, looking for texts about other worlds, opening portals, and the like. Matthew followed close behind, noting Mark’s selections.

Mark sat down at one of the tables and spread out the various books, parchments, and scrolls he picked up from the shelves. Matthew stretched himself out on one of the sofas behind Mark, reading a novel he picked up for himself.

Mark read to himself, _Let’s see… Askr can open portals, Embla can close them… World of Mystery: Archanea, World of Awakening: Ylisse, World of Blazing: Elibe…_ Mark stopped and traced a finger underneath the heading. He proceeded to read through the history of the World of Blazing. The Black Fang, the poisoning of Marquess Caelin, the battle against the Fire Dragon, Mark remembered them all.

His heart felt heavy. Images of his former comrades filled his mind. Lyn, Hector, Eliwood… So many people he didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to. Once the dragon was defeated, Mark had immediately been transported back home to his bedroom. Back to the day before he was transported to Elibe, as if nothing had ever happened. But Mark knew. Mark knew there would be no way of going back there. No way to tell any of his friends how much he enjoyed his time with them, how much they meant to him, how much he wanted to stay right there with them by their side for the rest of his life. A teardrop fell onto the book’s page.

“Kiddo?”

Mark whipped his head around and saw Matthew standing beside him with a look of concern on his face. Mark slammed the book shut, “Wh-What the hell do you want?”

“Find what you needed?” asked Matthew.

“No,” Mark wiped his eyes and gathered all the materials he borrowed. “And don’t call me ‘kiddo’. I’m only like, what, a couple years younger than you?”

Matthew forced a laugh, “Right.”

Mark stood up from his seat and returned the texts to their original places as Matthew looked on in silence. Once he was done, Mark pulled up his hood and approached Matthew. “Take me back to my room and take care of the patrols for me today. I don’t feel well.”

Matthew nodded and lead Mark back to his room.

Mark slumped into bed, laying on his stomach. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ Mark grabbed his pillow, covered his head, and sobbed quietly into the mattress. _Come on, Mark, pull yourself together! Do you want to go back home, or not?!_ Mark took deep breaths, trying to regain composure. _Okay, we still have no damn clue how to go back. Fine._ He peeked out and laid his eyes on Breidablik which was sitting on the nightstand. _Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to bring some friends here for now._


	4. A Summoner's Luck

“JUST GIVE ME SOMEONE FROM THE WORLD OF BLAZING.  _ PLEASE, _ ” Mark yelled at Breidablik. The Heroes that Mark summoned earlier that day stared at him with concern and confusion on their faces.

One of them--Lissa, a blonde cleric from the World of Awakening--tugged on Anna’s sleeve. “Is he going to be okay?” she whispered.

“Probably?” Anna shrugged. “He is a bit of a hot-head, sure, but that usually doesn’t blow out of proportion.”

Mark shot Breidablik again. Wrys from the World of Mystery emerged. “FUCK.”

“You could also say he was probably a sailor in a past life,” Anna winked.

“I-I see,” said Lissa.

Matthew called out from behind Mark, “Why do you want someone from the World of Blazing specifically?”

“Because…!” Mark thought for a moment for a good cover up, “I read so much about it, and I want to talk to someone who was actually there… Yeah, that’s it!”

Alfonse cautiously approached Mark and put a hand on his shoulder, “Kiran, you will run out of Orbs at this rate. Perhaps you should take it easy--”

Mark looked at Alfonse dead in the eye, “I’ll take it easy when I’m  _ dead _ .” Mark reloaded Breidablik with Orbs and a red Summon Stone as Alfonse retracted his hand and paced back a few steps. Mark took a deep breath.  _ This better be the one. _ He fired.

From Breidablik’s muzzle emerged a young blue-clad woman with long green hair tied in a ponytail. Mark looked on in awe. The woman’s name barley escaped from his lips.

“Lyn.”

“Huh? Where…?” Lyn looked all around here, trying to piece together where she was. She turned around and laid her eyes on Mark. Her eyes immediately lit up. “Mark!” Lyn ran up to him. Mark’s eyes transfixed on Lyn’s slender legs.  _ Oh,  _ wow _ leg leg leg leg leg yup yup those sure are legs. _ Lyn held him in a tight hug. “I thought I would never see you again!” Mark’s entire face flushed with Lyn’s sudden contact.  _ BOOB boob boob fuck boob against chest ohhhh shit oh shit please please please don’t notice the boner oh god someone hELP. _

“Lady Lyndis, I believe you should let the poor boy go,” Matthew approached the pair with a sly grin on his face. “He seems to be a bit overstimulated.”

“Huh?” Lyn turned to look at Mark’s beet-red face. “Oh!” Lyn let Mark go and stepped back. “I’m so sorry, Mark. It’s just that it’s been so long, and I’m so happy to see you. I can’t believe you’re all grown up now!” She turned to Matthew, “And, Matthew, it’s surprising to see you here too.”

She and Matthew started to converse and Mark started to panic.  _ Crap, I can’t believe she recognized me! I can’t let her know I’m Mark. At least not while Matthew’s around. Fuck! _ He frowned. _ Sorry, Lyn. Gotta keep you in the dark for a bit. _  "Um," Mark interrupted Lyn, “I’m sorry. Lyndis, was it? I… I don’t believe we’ve met before.”

Lyn looked at Mark, confused, “What are you talking about?”

“My name is Kiran,” Mark introduced himself. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know about this ‘Mark’ person.”

“I… Oh,” Lyn looked down, disheartened, “I’m sorry. It’s just that you look just like an old friend of mine. Except older.”

“Don’t worry, Lady Lyndis,” Matthew laughed. “I mistook him for Mark when we first met as well.” Matthew smirked at Mark, “The two really look alike, don’t they?”

“Anyway,” Mark put away Breidablik away, “Anna, Sharena, Alfonse, Matthew, can you guys show the new Heroes around the castle?”

“On it!” Sharena said. “Let’s go, everyone!”

As Matthew and Lyn were leaving with the others, Mark tapped Matthew on the shoulder. “Hey, Matthew. Do me a favor?”

“What is it?” asked Matthew.

“Bring Lyn to my room after the tour of the castle. I…” Mark hesitated. “I want to ask her about Mark.”

Matthew gave Mark a knowing look, “Sure thing, Kiran.”


	5. Wind Across the Plains

Mark was laying in bed when he heard a knock on his bedroom door. “Come in,” he called out.

The door opened; Matthew and Lyn were on the other side. “And, here we are,” Matthew extended his arm and led Lyn inside.

“Thank you, Matthew,” Lyn waved goodbye to Matthew as he closed the door.

Mark got up and patted a spot next to him on the bed, “Here, have a seat, Lady Lyndis.”

Lyn sat next to Mark, “Thank you, Kiran.” She smiled, “And, please, call me ‘Lyn’.”

Mark gave her a small smile, “Sure thing, Lyn.”

“So, you wished to speak with me?” asked Lyn.

“Ah, yes,” Mark scratched his chin. “To be honest, I actually wanted to tell you a story. Wanna hear it? It won't be a waste of time, I promise.”

“I would love to,” said Lyn.

“Alright,” Mark cleared his throat.

“Once upon a time, there was a young boy from another world. He loved going to school, playing with his friends, and spending time with his family very much. One day, everything he loved was taken away from him. He was taken to a world unlike his own. The boy was scared, lost, and alone. He wandered the open plains of this new world, unsure of where to go. He longed to go back home. He wanted to see his parents again. He wanted to see his friends again. After days of wandering the plains, the boy collapsed from hunger. Before losing consciousness, the boy only had one thought on his mind: ‘Am I going to die?’

When the boy woke up, Death wasn’t there to greet him. In fact, it was a kind and beautiful young woman. The two grew close and traveled across the land together. They made many friends on their travels. The boy loved them all very much and didn’t want to leave their side. But he had to. The boy disappeared without a trace. Back to his world he went where the times he spent his newfound friends were nothing but a memory.

The boy grew up and had given up hope of meeting his friends from another world again. In fact, all the boy desired was to live a normal life. But once again, all that was taken away. He was taken to another world against his will, just like before. However, things were different. If he wished, he could see his friends from so long ago. He could apologize to them for not being able to say goodbye back then. For disappearing without saying a word. But he was afraid of what they’d say. ‘Where did you go?’ ‘What happened to you?’ ‘Why did you leave us?’ He didn’t want to face those questions. But then he met that young woman again, and she recognized the boy right away. He had no choice but to say this to her.”

“Lyn,” Mark looked into Lyn’s eyes, “If I worried you back then, if I worried you at all right now… I'm sorry for all that. If you hate me, or if you don’t want to see me again, I’d understa--”

“I would never hate you, Mark!” Lyn brought Mark into a tight embrace, “Oh, Mark, I knew it was you. I just knew it!”

Mark hugged Lyn back, “Haha, yeah. Sorry I had to hide that from you.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Lyn wiped her teary eyes. “You’re right here. I have so many questions.”

“Here we go,” Mark rolled his eyes and smirked.

“Everything was true, then?” asked Lyn.

Mark nodded, “Yeah. I had no choice when it came to leaving Elibe. Whatever magic brought me there in the first place must have brought me back to my world.”

Lyn cocked her head at Mark, “And what about the magic that brought you, Matthew, and I here? Was it the same magic from back then?”

Mark furrowed his brow and shook his head, “No, I don’t think so. Askran summoning magic seems to be something entirely different.” Mark took Breidablik out of its holster and showed it to Lyn, "But I can use that power myself now because of Breidablik."

Lyn eyes widened, "Mark, that's amazing! Let's bring the others here too. I'm sure they would love to see you!"

Mark grimaced and looked out the window, “Lyn, as much as I want to see everyone, my number one priority is to go back to my world. Not only do I want to go back to my life back there, I don’t want to give myself the hope that I’ll see everyone from Elibe again. My luck with trying to summon someone from there isn’t exactly the best.” Mark rubbed the back of his neck, "Seriously, did you  _see_ how many Heroes I summoned before you came along? I had to fire Breidablik twenty times or something before I finally brought you here. Ammo isn't easy to come by either. Not to mention if someone from Elibe were to come here, I'd have to explain myself, and that would be a hassle. And--"

“Mark," Lyn put a hand on Mark's shoulder, "I think you should enjoy your time with everyone here instead of worrying about going back home.”

"What?" concerned, Mark looked at Lyn.

Lyn continued, “I was talking with Matthew before we came to your room. He said you were doing research on other worlds the other day and didn’t learn a lot from that. Since you do not have any leads on how to get back home, wouldn’t it be better to focus on what you can do here now? Besides,” Lyn smiled warmly, “I’m sure Matthew would love to catch up with an old friend that was right under his nose.”

“C-Come on, Lyn,” Mark blushed.

Lyn giggled, “You two were so close back then. Even when you first met, you and Matthew were inseparable! You always consulted him when you needed help strategising. Wherever we traveled, you held either my hand or Matthew's, and I'm sure you held Matthew's hand more often than mine! There were some nights when you two slept in the same tent. You even went so far as to call him your big brother--”

“Okay, okay! I get it,” Mark pulled his hood over his face. “I’ll tell Matthew who I really am. Eventually. Just don’t bring up more embarrassing memories like that!”

“Alright,” Lyn smiled. “It would be nice to see you two enjoying each other's company again. Especially since… you know.”

“Huh?” Mark cocked an eyebrow, “What do you mean by that?”

“Do you not remember…” Lyn paused. “Ah, never mind. Perhaps it is best not to bring it up.” Lyn rose from the bed. “Anyway, is that all you needed, Mark?”

“Uh, yeah,” Mark nodded. “Thanks for your time, Lyn. Oh, and make sure you call me ‘Kiran’ in public, alright?”

“Of course,” said Lyn. “I’ll see you later, then.”

“Yup,” Mark waved to her. “See ya.”

When Lyn left the room, Mark lowered his head deep in thought. _What was Lyn talking about?_ _What happened between me and Matthew?_


	6. Of Ostia

A few days later, Anna and Mark supervised the new Heroes as they practiced on the training grounds.

“Everyone’s making good progress,” Anna nodded to herself.

“Mhmm,” Mark grunted in agreement as he drank from his water canteen. While he should have been focusing on the army as a whole, Mark’s attention stayed on Matthew.  _ Why can’t I remember what happened back then? _

Anna crossed her arms, “I think we should summon more Heroes here. We’re lacking in strong axe-wielders.”

“Mm,” Mark continued looking out to the target range where the archers and dagger-users were practicing their aim. Matthew, Gaius, and Felicia were joking around and giving each other critique on their technique.  _ If something bad happened between me and Matthew... _

“Let’s go to the Summoning Room once we’re done here,” Anna glanced at Mark.

“Mhm,” Mark’s gaze was fixed on Matthew; he observed every little change in his expression. The way his lips curled when he laughed, the way his eyes narrowed slightly when preparing his aim, the way this eyes shone when he or his companions got a bullseye…  _ Then why am I feeling this wa-- _

“So, when are you and Matthew gonna bang?” Anna asked nonchalantly.

Mark spit-took. After gagging on the water he was drinking, Mark cried out, “ANNA, WHAT THE HELL.”

Anna giggled, “Just checking if you’ve been listening. But anyway,” she shrugged, “It’s a simple question. I’d love to hear the answer.”

Mark pouted and pulled up his hood, “None of your business.”

Anna leaned over in front of Mark, “Oh~? So it's going to happen eventually?”

“Shut up!” barked Mark.

“At any rate,” Anna walked back toward the castle, “meet me in the Summoning Room in a few minutes. We need to summon more Heroes.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Mark looked to Anna, then back at Matthew. He held onto the hem of his hood, “Fucking hell.”

* * *

Many summoned Arthurs and Barsts later, Mark loaded Breidablik with the last of his Orbs and a green Summon Stone, “Cross your fingers, Anna.” Mark aimed straight ahead. “We’re gonna need all the luck we can get.”

Anna gave Mark a thumbs up, “Go for it.”

Mark took a deep breath and fired.

From Breidablik’s muzzle emerged a young blue-haired man clad completely in armor carrying a large axe. The man looked around frantically, “What the--?! Where?” He turned around and laid eyes on Mark, “You!” The man stomped toward Mark and grabbed Mark by the collar. “Who are you?! What is this place?! And,” he looked into Mark’s eyes and squinted, “why do you look familiar?”

“Are you for real?” Mark grumbled under his breath.

Anna approached the pair and pointed at the young man, “I think a better question is ‘Who are  _ you _ ?’”

The man let Mark go and introduced himself, “I’m Hector, from a realm called Ostia.”

“Wow,” Anna nudged Mark in the arm with her elbow, “ _ another _ Hero from the World of Blazing who recognizes you.” She winked, “I’m sensing a pattern here.”

Hector cocked an eyebrow, “World of what now?”

“Shut it, Anna,” Mark playfully shoved Anna. “Could I talk with Lord Hector alone?” 

Anna nodded, “Of course.” She turned around and walked out of the room.

Mark approached Hector, “Lord Hector. Let’s just cut to the chase here. You remember that half-pint of a tactician you worked with way back when?” Mark pointed to himself, “Yeah, that kid’s me. I’m Mar--”

“Mark!” Hector swiftly lifted Mark off the ground and shook him, “Where in blazes have you been?! Lyn, Eliwood, and I have been worried sick about you! And why are you so grown up now? There’s no way you could have grown up this much in just a few years.”

“Lord Hector…!” Mark’s voice wavered as Hector shook him, “Can you put me down?!”

“Ah,” Hector gently set Mark back down on his feet. “Sorry.” Clearing his throat, Hector continued, “What happened to you? After we killed the Fire Dragon, it’s like you vanished into thin air!”

“That’s more or less accurate,” Mark grimaced. “Here, let me fill you in.”

Mark explained to Hector everything from his arrival in Elibe to the present day, just as he did with Lyn several days earlier.

“Hm, I see,” Hector bowed his head in deep thought.

“Just don’t let Matthew know about anything I just told you,” added Mark. “I have my reasons.”

“That’s understandable,” Hector rubbed the back of his neck, “Ever since you and Matthew had that fight, nothing was the same between the two of you.”

Mark gave Hector a worried look, “‘Fight’? What fight, Lord Hector?”

Hector’s eyes widened, “You don’t remember? It was sometime after we found Leila’s body on the Dread Isle. You and Matthew couldn’t stop yelling at each other.”

Mark lowered his head, and held his chin, “N-No, I don’t…” Mark closed his eyes, trying to trace his memories back to that moment.  _ The Dread Isle… Leila’s death… Matthew and I… Wait! _

* * *

“You’re being stupid!” Mark cried out, his voice hoarse from raising his voice for minutes straight.

“You’re the one who’s being a dumb brat!” Matthew yelled back.

Mark curled his hands into fists, “Being sad all the time isn’t going to do anything!”

Matthew stomped forward and bared his teeth, “You don’t have a damn clue what I’m going through!”

Warm tears started to flow down Mark’s face. “You… Leila… She wouldn’t want you to be like this…!”

“Shut up!” Matthew grabbed Mark by the collar, “You don’t know a damn thing about her!”

“That’s enough!” Hector, Lyn, and Eliwood separated the two. Hector held onto Matthew’s arms, Lyn crouched down and held Mark by the shoulders, and Eliwood stood between them with his arms outstretched. A heavy silence weighed down on the group. Everyone exchanged glances with each other. Matthew breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath. Mark sniffled and tightly pursed his lips, trying his best not to cry any more than he already has. After what seemed like hours, Hector pulled Matthew aside while Lyn walked herself and Mark to their tent.

As soon as the two were alone, Mark threw himself into Lyn’s arms and sobbed.

Lyn held Mark tightly and stroked his hair, “Shh… it’s going to be okay, Mark. It’s going to be okay.”

“Big bro…” Mark choked up between sobs, “hates me now…!”

“No, no,” Lyn held Mark closer, “I’m sure Matthew didn’t mean what he said.” She let Mark go and wiped his tears, “You didn’t mean what  _ you _ said, right?”

Mark thought for a moment and sniffled, “N-No…”

“See?” Lyn smiled slightly. “We all make mistakes, Mark. And you can forgive yourself and Matthew if you make mistakes, right?”

Mark nodded.

“Good,” Lyn patted Mark’s head. “It’s getting close to dinnertime. Want to help Wil, Florina, and I get food?”

Mark shook his head.

Lyn sighed, “Okay. I’ll come back and let you know when dinner’s ready.”

Mark nodded and Lyn left the tent. When Mark was alone, he curled up and continued to cry.

* * *

_ That’s right. _ thought Mark.  _ After that, all Matthew wanted was to avenge Leila, and I was too scared to be around him anymore. _ Mark stayed silent as the memory came flooding back to him until he managed to get the words out of his throat, “I remember now…”

Hector looked at Mark with concern, “Mark--”

Mark shook his head, “Lord Hector, I know what you’re probably thinking, but I’m okay now, really.”

“Are you sure?” asked Hector.

Mark nodded, “After I returned to my world, I did a lot of thinking and just accepted that Matthew and I weren’t thinking straight back then. Honestly, after all these years, I just forgot about it. But now there's a problem.”

Hector crossed his arms, "And that is?"

Mark lowered his head, “How am I supposed to approach Matthew about my true identity now?"


	7. Faithful Knight Eliwood

Over the next few days, Mark avoided Matthew as he tried to sort out his thoughts. _Should I tell Matthew I’m Mark? Is he still upset about back then? Will he be upset with me now since I didn’t tell him sooner?_ These thoughts clouded Mark’s mind, and today was no different.

Mark stood in the middle of the Summoning Room with a Orb-loaded Breidablik in his hand. _Let’s see… Anna wanted dark mages and fire mages this time around._ Mark took the a red Summon Stone from the pedestal beside him and loaded Breidablik. “Well, here we go.”

Mark fired Breidablik and a young red-haired man on a white horse emerged from it.

The man looked around the room, “Well, now. This is strange. Where…?”

Mark shrugged. _Just my luck._ Mark smiled and approached the young man, “Lord Eliwood.”

Eliwood turn around, “Hm? Have we met before? I don’t believe I…” He looked Mark up and down, “Wait, Mark? Is that you?” Eliwood dismounted his horse and examined Mark’s figure further. After a few moments, Eliwood beamed, “Mark!” He put his hands on Mark’s shoulders, “Look at you! You’ve grown into a fine young man, I can tell.”

Mark looked at the ground and smiled bashfully, “Lord Eliwood, please,” Mark looked back to Eliwood, “I have a feeling you’re wondering what happened to me back in Elibe. I’m sure you have time to hear me out?”

Eliwood smiled, “Only if you explain where exactly I am as well.”

Mark chuckled, “Deal.”

Mark escorted Eliwood around Castle Askr and explained to him what he had explained to Lyn and Hector. After showing him around, Mark and Eliwood settle down at a bench in the courtyard where they continued their discussion of Mark’s circumstances.

“What a fascinating world you brought Hector, Lyn, and I into, Mark,” said Eliwood. “What is even more fascinating is how _you’re_ the reason all of us are here right now. It’s as if you’re drawn to take up a tactician role despite what you were actually doing in your own world.”

Exasperated, Mark sighed, “You can say that again.”

“I do have one question for you,” Eliwood looked off into the distance.

Mark leaned back in the bench, “Shoot.”

Eliwood asked in a low voice, “Do you still wish to go home?”

Mark looked up to the sky and collected his thoughts. When he found the right words to say, he replied, “If you asked me that a couple weeks ago, I’d say ‘ _F_ _uck_ yes _._ ’ No hesitation.” Eliwood chuckled at the remark. “But now, I guess I’ve grown used to commanding an army again? It’s weird, but I feel… nostalgic?”

Eliwood leaned back in his seat, “I don’t think it’s strange at all. We made good memories back then.”

“Yeah,” Mark said wistfully. His mind went back to Matthew. He frowned. “Do you think Matthew feels the same way?”

Eliwood gave Mark a sympathetic look, “Does your falling out still bother you?”

“Well, I’m not concerned about it,” Mark scratched his chin. “But I’m worried that it might still bother Matthew.”

Eliwood nodded, “Yes, I understand, but would it not be better to confront him about it?”

Mark looked down at his feet and scoffed, “What am I supposed to even say to him, Eliwood? ‘Sorry for fighting about your dead girlfriend when I was eight. I’ve forgotten all about it already’? Anything I say to him is just gonna make him hate more than he already does. I know it!” He sighed. “Lord Eliwood, I…” Mark buried his face in his hands, “I just don’t want to lose him again.”

“In all honesty, Mark,” Eliwood put a hand on Mark’s shoulder, “You and Matthew had a strong friendship. I can tell that the both of you wanted it to stay that way despite the circumstances.” Eliwood patted Mark’s back, “Have faith in your friendship, Mark. You didn’t call Matthew your big brother for noth--”

“FUCK OFF, ELIWOOD.” Blood rushed to Mark’s face as memories of himself calling Matthew “big bro” came flooding back to him in a wave of embarrassment.

* * *

“Big bro,” Mark pointed at the map of the battlefield, “what do you think about splitting the army down these two paths?”

Matthew bent over to examine the map and nodded to himself, “Sound strategy, kiddo. Just make sure you’ve got our stronger units up front on each side. Also,” Matthew ruffled Mark’s hair, “new nickname for me? No more ‘Mr. Matthew’?”

Mark craned his neck up to make eye contact with Matthew, “I’ve always wanted a big brother. And I want you to be it!”

“Oh, really?” Matthew smirked. “And why’s that?”

“Well,” Mark showed Matthew a wide grin, “You’re super cool and super smart like a big brother should be! And you’re strong and you teach me a lot about strategy and you protect me from the bad guys and… and…”

Matthew laughed and pulled Mark into a hug, “Alright, kiddo. You’ve got me. I’ll be your big brother from now on!”

Mark hugged Matthew back, “Thanks, big bro! You’re the best big bro in the whole world!”

* * *

Mark curled up in his seat, _Did I have no shame? God, why the fuck was I so cringey?!_

Misinterpreting Mark’s sudden outburst as an act of anger, Eliwood retracted his hand, “Sorry, Mark. Was that too much?”

Mark took a moment to regain his composure and sat up, “Never speak of that again.”

“F-Fair enough,” Eliwood mumbled.

“But, you know,” Mark looked up to the sky once more, “I wouldn’t mind being Matthew’s little brother again.” He looked to Eliwood, “Thanks, Lord Eliwood. I think I know what I need to do now.”

Bewildered, Eliwood stared at Mark, then nodded, “Good luck, Mark. Remember: have faith.”

Mark nodded back to Eliwood and marched back inside the castle with his head held high.


	8. I Missed You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah yes, here's the steaminess I promised since the beginning.

Although Mark avoided Matthew over the past few days, Matthew still snuck into Mark’s room at night to sleep in the same bed. Mark couldn’t have just outright banned Matthew from the bedroom: that would have made him suspicious. So, when Mark returned to his room after a long day with Eliwood and managing training regimens, he was surprised to see Matthew already curled up in his bed. It was moreso the fact that Matthew was already asleep rather than him being there at all that surprised him.

Mark cocked his head at the sight, then shrugged. _Must have overworked himself or something_ , he thought. Mark changed out of his Summoner uniform, changed into a shirt and shorts, and crawled into bed with Matthew. He laid on his side, staring at Matthew face-to-face. Mark frowned. _I’ll have to tell him tomorrow._ As soon as he closed his eyes to sleep, Mark heard something.

“Mark…”

Mark’s eyes shot open, and saw Matthew was still asleep. “Matthew?”

“Mark… sorry…” Matthew mumbled.

 _Sleep talking?_ wondered Mark. _Was he always a sleep talker?_

“Come back…” Matthew’s face twisted. “Mark…”

 _Must be a bad dream._ Unsure of what to do, Mark stared at Matthew. He extended his arm, hovered it over Matthew’s body, and hesitated.

“Sorry… ‘m sorry…”

Mark wrapped his arm around Matthew and held him close, “It’s okay, Matthew,” Mark whispered.

“Mark…”

Mark rubbed Matthew’s back, “Shh… It’s okay. I’m right here.”

Matthew’s muscles relaxed, “Mnnn…”

Relieved that Matthew started to calm down, Mark sighed. _Is he dreaming about back then?_ Mark closed his eyes, trying to find the right words to say. He took a deep breath. “Matthew,” Mark cupped Matthew’s face, “I forgive you. It’s okay.”

Matthew’s breathing evened out, and his expression relaxed further. Mark stared at Matthew’s sleeping face: his calm stillness, his slightly parted lips… Mark brought his face close to Matthew’s. Mark’s heart beat faster as he wondered if he should make his next move.

As if to persuade Mark, Matthew limply wrapped his arm around Mark’s body, “Please… stay…”

Mark’s cheeks flushed. _Matthew…_ He stroked Matthew’s cheek with his thumb, “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.” He closed his eyes and kissed Matthew.

Mark felt something warm cup his cheek and Matthew’s lips press firmer against his. He opened his eyes. Mark saw that Matthew’s eyes were open as well.

Matthew broke the kiss and smiled, “Thank you, Mark.”

Mark’s eyes widened. “Wh-What the hell?! You were awake the entire time?”

Matthew smirked, “Yeah. And from what you just did, you revealed two things, ‘Kiran’.” Matthew counted off with his fingers as he spoke, “One, you’re actually Mark. Frankly, that was obvious from the start. And two,” Matthew rolled himself and Mark over. He straddled himself just below Mark’s hips and pinned Mark down onto the mattress by the shoulders, “you’ve fallen for me. Which--again--was obvious.” Matthew brushed a lock of Mark’s hair behind his ear and leaned in closer to his face, “Am I wrong?”

Shocked by the sudden development, Mark stared up at Matthew with eyes wide and mouth agape.

Matthew whispered into Mark’s ear, “I’m waiting.”

Heat rose to Mark’s cheeks. His pounding heart kept him from saying a word. He gulped.

Matthew shrugged and started to get off of Mark, “Well, if you won’t answer, I’ll jus--”

“H-Hold on!” Mark grabbed onto Matthew’s shirt, “Fine, you got me. Alright?” Mark glanced at Matthew, “How’d… How’d you know?”

Matthew smiled and resumed his position, “From the moment you looked at me and pulled up your hood to hide your face,” Matthew leaned down and nuzzled against Mark’s neck, “I had a feeling it was you.”

“S-So when you wanted to get a closer look…?” Mark began to ask.

“My suspicions were confirmed.” Matthew lightly nipped and sucked on Mark’s neck to which Mark quietly yelped in response. “I waited for you to reveal yourself to me, but you didn’t.” He whispered in Mark’s ear, “Why did you hide your identity from me this whole time? You reveal yourself to Lady Lyndis and Lord Hector, but not me.”

“W-Wait,” Mark’s mind grew hazy as Matthew teased him, “How did you know that they knew?”

Matthew nibbled Mark’s ear. Mark could feel Matthew’s chest pound against his own beating heart. “I told them I knew your identity the entire time, so they told me about what you said to them.” Matthew held Mark’s hips, “So the question remains: why hide your true identity?” Matthew slowly grinded his forming erection against Mark’s, his breaths becoming more uneven, “Was it because of back then, Mark? Were you afraid of me…?”

Mark grabbed onto the bed sheets and moaned, "I didn’t remember our fight u-until recently… I-I…” Matthew quickened his pace. Mark squirmed under Matthew as his entire body heated up, “I didn’t want to-- _fuck…!_ \--I just didn’t want to get close to you again. I wanted to go back home so badly. I-- _ah, shit!_ \--I didn’t want to feel bad about leaving you again.”

Matthew ran his fingers through Mark’s hair, “Is that the truth? You aren’t afraid of me anymore?”

Mark shook his head, “No. Honestly..." Mark let out another moan, "Honestly, I thought _you'd_ be the one still upset."

He pecked Mark's cheek, "No, I'm not upset. All I wanted was your forgiveness, Mark. Since you decided to keep your identity secret, I thought you hated me." Matthew let out a sigh of relief, “All this time… All this time, I was afraid that you were still intimidated by me.” 

Mark smiled warmly at Matthew, “It’s all in the past now. Right now, I want to be with you. I missed you…” Mark averted his gaze and mumbled, “b-big bro.”

Matthew’s grinding came to a grinding halt. He covered his mouth with his hand, stifling a laugh, “C-Cute…”

“H-Hey! Fuck off!” Mark glared at Matthew with a face flushed from arousal and embarrassment “No one asked you!”

Matthew chuckled and kissed Mark’s forehead, “I missed you too, kiddo.”

Mark snarled, “I told you not to call me ‘kiddo’.” He wrapped an arm around Matthew’s torso, held onto his scalp, and pulled him into a hungry kiss. Their tongues slid and glided against one another as their groans, warm breaths, and moaned names filled the room. They held each other close as their hands traced out the curvature of each other’s bodies.

Matthew pulled away from the kiss, leaving a trail of saliva behind. He gasped, “Mark, please… Please promise me…” He planted a kiss on Mark’s cheek, “Promise you'll stay here…”

Mark cupped Matthew’s face in his hands, “Weren’t you listening earlier?” He brought Matthew’s face closer and kissed him, “I already did."

The duo continued grinding, kissing, and groping each other all over until they exhausted themselves. Matthew and Mark drifted off to sleep with flushed faces and entangled limbs.

* * *

A soft chirping of a songbird outside Mark’s bedroom window stirred Mark awake the next morning. He blinked his sleepy eyes open and looked over to the other side of the room where he could see Matthew organizing the papers on his desk.

Matthew glanced over and noticed Mark starting to wake up. He smiled, “Morning, kiddo.”

Mark got out of bed, stretched, and yawned, “Morning…”

Matthew grabbed Mark’s cloak off the wall and handed it to Mark, not before kissing him on the cheek.

“H-Hey,” Mark blushed, “what was that for?”

Matthew ruffled Mark’s hair, “Just making sure you have a good start for the day.”

Mark smiled slightly as he dressed himself, grabbed his belongings, and fixed his hair in the mirror.

Once Mark was ready to start the day, Matthew opened the bedroom door and offered Mark his hand, “Ready?”

Mark smiled, “Yeah.” He took Matthew’s hand and intertwined his fingers with Matthew’s, “Let’s go.”

As the two of them left the bedroom hand in hand, only one thought was left on Mark’s mind: _I guess some things never change._


End file.
